Last week one of my sons went online to donate to cancer research, but somehow his credit card number had been stolen. Fortunately, Visa froze his card and it didn’t cost him anything other than the hassle of getting a new one.

I’m not sure if the lowlife scum who stole the credit card info ever did get the $215 worth of Mexican food he/she tried to get in Texas (my son lives in Pennsylvania). But if he/she did, I hope it didn’t sit well gastronomically.

The St. Baldrick’s Foundation for pediatric cancer research still received my son’s donation, because one of his brothers stepped in and doubled his contribution.

This happened last week, and I’ve been in slow-burn mode since.

Think about it: Someone tries to donate to St. Baldrick’s, which helps fund research to treat and potentially cure kids with cancer. Three young kids I’ve sponsored through St. Baldrick’s in the past seven years have died. Meanwhile, some “entrepreneur” figures out a way to steal my son’s identity to order a bunch of tacos.

How did this happen? We don’t know. I’m too old-school to know how to do more than manage a blog. But forget the technology for a moment. What kind of upbringing inspires someone to learn how to commit “cyber crimes” anyway?

And, at same time, trying to steal from someone trying to help cure cancer. Nice, huh?

By the way, every three seconds a child somewhere in the world is diagnosed with cancer. I suppose the identity thief was never touched by this horrific disease. Not to mention good parenting.

I would love to meet this individual, and his/her parents. What a conversation we could have!

Sadly, this will probably be treated as a mere banking matter. That there is a shortage of prosecutors willing to imprison these thieves is a sign of our decay as a society. That there is no shortage of soulless scoundrels these days can lead to despair, but only if you let it.

Sad and horrific Jim. Though in my job I see some pretty good parents getting stolen and ripped off by some criminal minded kids all the time. Their own kids. But I’ve also seen parents and kids in crime together. It’s horrible. And there’s no one way to identify how these criminals become the criminals they are. Thank heavens for sons like yours, and kids across the world helping out other kids who need the help. I feel that slow simmer Jim…..been there myself. Happened to my daughter just about five months ago.

So sorry this happened to your son Jim. I’m glad it all worked out in the end. As for your question, I wonder if stealing from others online is easier because you don’t actually have to see a human being in front of you. As is true of people who are now shooting off their hateful opinions anonymously online, I wonder if the same anonymity and physical distance applies to theft…

On the positive side, thank you to you and your sons for supporting something you believe in. ❤
Diana xo

I pray there’s more good kids like your donators than the cyber thieves in our world, Jim. The thieves have no conscience, obviously. I wish there were a way for the good to band together and teach the bad a lesson that would convert them. Alas …